The Longer You Attend, the More it Costs

Taking only 12 credits a semester or 24 credits a year will cost you.

Enrolling in 24 credits per year instead of 30 credits means one more year of college. If you can’t take 15 credits one semester, it is better to pick up the credits in a summer or mini-mester than to prolong graduation.

The cost of attending part-time.

Enrolling in only six credit hours a semester will increase your time to graduation to 12 years for a bachelor's degree. That could mean an additional $62,000. It adds up quick.

The opportunity costs.

The opportunity cost is the amount of money you are not making in your chosen field because you have not completed your degree. In general, adults with a college degree earn more than those without a degree.

Talk to the Financial Aid professionals.

The professionals in the financial aid office can help you determine how much each year of school will cost you, develop a budget and apply for educational funds (grants, loans and scholarships). They know where to look for funds and how to apply. Every family is eligible for some type of financial aid including low-interest federal loans.

The cost of one more year of college.

The extra cost of a fifth year of college for a bachelor's degree can be more than $10,000.

Working - in moderation - can help.

Working fewer than 15-20 hours per week has been shown to help a student through college, and even improve grades. Finding a job on campus is best, because college employers understand the importance of education first. If you must work off-campus, look for an employer who will understand you are a college student first.

For questions or comments regarding this website, contact sysas@email.alaska.edu